Pakistani filmmaker: 'Child marriage hinders girls from achieving their potential' Politician's marriage to 14-year-old triggers uproar The recent marriage between a lawmaker and an underage girl in Pakistan sparked outroar across the country and prompted rights activists to urge the government to take stronger action against child marriage. Maulana Salahuddin Ayubi, a 64-year-old lawmaker of Jamiat-Ulema-Islam Fazl (JUI-F), married a 14-year-old girl, according to various local media reports in late February. The reports shocked the country and went viral on various social media platforms. In response, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry called the reported marriage "absurd" and "very disturbing news." He demanded that the JUI-F come out with an explanation, and called for the lawmaker's resignation.